Cheese,Chives and Paprika Scones
A wonderful herb Allium Schoenoprasum; but we all know it as Common Chives; which you are guaranteed to find in most herb gardens. Easily recognised by its cylindrical shape of the leaves and beautiful purple head flowers, helps attracts Bees, Hoverflies and even Parasitic Wasps to the garden. The leaf tube like structure is hollow and that when touched or crushed they emit an onion like flavour and scent.
When this herb is given a Chelsea chop; do not throw away the leaves or flower stems. Simply cut the leaves and stems with a pair of herb scissors and place them on a foil tray and dry them out using indirect heat. I place my tray near the Boiler and give them a stir every day until dried out. Store in an airtight container and will keep all year.
Such a versatile herb, can be used to enhance a humble new potato, when boiled and drained out adding cracked salt, a small knob of butter and freshly cut chives or even in a simple Omelette, Egg whisked in with a little salt, carefully poured into a hot pan with butter and a generous helping of chopped Chives.
Here is another recipe to try: Cheese, Chives and Paprika Savoury Scones. With this recipe it is best to use fresh chives. This scone will give you a lovely cheese and mild onion flavour.
Recipe makes 6 scones
Ingredients:
170g Self Raising Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
25g Butter
70g Grated Red Leicester Cheese ( any other hard cheese would work well too)
40g Freshly Chopped Chives
1tsp Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)
1tsp Paprika (I have used ‘Hot’ but you could use ‘Sweet’ or ‘Smoked’)
1tsp Mustard Powder (optional)
100ml Milk (approx. may need more or less)
1/2tsp Fine Sea Salt
Method
- Sift Flour with salt and baking powder.
- Dice butter and rub into the flour.
- Chop Chives small but not too small. Using a pair of scissors makes it easier to cut without bruising the leaves too much.
- Grate both cheese, ready for the flour mix.
- Add Chives, as well as the grated cheese, paprika and mustard powder (optional).
- Mix well; I like to get my hands stuck in, but you may prefer to use a spatula.
- Add milk a little at a time, until the dough comes together. Use a butter knife for this stage.
- Once dough has come together, knead it gently. I find kneading the dough using just the my palms of my hands easier. You can knead this dough in the bowl gently. Do not knead for too long otherwise you will knock the air out.
- Roll dough keeping a thickness of 1″ ( 2cm in today’s money) and cut using a fluted cutter.
- Place cut scones onto a floured tray, brush with Milk, sprinkle a little more Cheese and Paprika.
- Bake at 200˙C for 10-12 minutes. Remove tray from the oven and gently place Scones on a wire rack to cool.
- You may wish to eat as soon as they are slightly cooled with a little spread of butter or they can be eaten cold and they will store for a couple of days in an airtight container. (Should they last that long).
Enjoy x
Hope you get a chance to try these out. If you do, I would love to read what you think of them and your comments below, or on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
